Workers deserve wages they can actually live on. The current federal minimum of $7.25 hasn't changed since 2009, while the cost of housing, healthcare, and food has skyrocketed. Raising it to $15 would lift millions of people out of poverty and reduce reliance on government assistance programs that taxpayers already fund. Countries like Australia and cities like San Francisco have proven you can raise wages without destroying the economy.
Forcing a $15 minimum wage across the country ignores the huge cost-of-living differences between rural Mississippi and New York City—$15 goes way further in one place than the other. Small businesses, especially in rural areas, can't absorb sudden wage hikes without cutting hours or laying people off, ultimately hurting the workers they're trying to help. A gradual increase tied to inflation makes more sense than an arbitrary number that doesn't account for regional economics.
Is caste-based reservation system still necessary in modern India?
Should wealthy nations have an obligation to accept more climate refugees?
